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Original poster

Phone call from school; they’re ’not medically trained’ ?!

209 replies

mommalaulau · 09/04/2025 13:52

Dd1 (13) went to school this morning as normal. All fine.

Phone call around 11 from the first aider to say she had “spots on her left cheek and they’re itchy”. I asked if it was hives, they said no. They wanted me to go up, get her, take her to the chemist to “get her checked and give her some antihistamine” and then bring her back to school.

I got there just expecting her to have literally a spot or two and her being over dramatic, she’s a teenager! But she has a cheek of hives and it’s also behind her ears, bottom of her neck and on her forehead. I immediately said to the first aider that it was hives, and she just gave me a smug look as if to say “you’re not trained what do you know”.
I took her straight to the chemist and he said it was definitely hives, for her to take some antihistamine immediately (which he actually went out and got and dosed and gave her) and to keep and eye on her for the rest of the day as she doesn’t know what caused it. He also said it is very concerning the school first aider couldn’t recognise hives and I should question that.

I called school when we returned home to let them know she wasn’t going back in for the afternoon as I was going to be keeping an eye on her, and whoever answered the phone said “yes of course that’s completely understandable”.
I then mentioned I was concerned that I was told it wasn’t hives. I said if a child with a known allergy presented with hives as their first reaction before anaphylaxis and a first aider didn’t recognise it that’s extremely worrying. I was told that they’re “not medically trained” but they’ll pass the message on. When they told me this I said surely, for allergy reasons, they must know how hives present? And I just kept getting that they’re “not medically trained”.

Does anybody think I need to take this any further or should I just leave it at this with whoever I spoke with? My DD is luckily ok and her itching has gone down but the hives are still slightly up, we have no idea what’s caused it.

Sensitive content
Phone call from school; they’re ’not medically trained’ ?!
OP posts:
ramonaquimby · 09/04/2025 14:02

First aiders aren't medically trained though?
they take a day course, or maybe a 3 day course.
I don't see the big deal. They called you and advised you to take her to a chemist, and you did.

FritataPatate · 09/04/2025 14:04

you’re being ridiculous. Does your child have an allergy? I don’t think you mention if they do? Hives could be something else - A first aider is not a doctor or a nurse!

Original poster
mommalaulau · 09/04/2025 14:05

ramonaquimby · 09/04/2025 14:02

First aiders aren't medically trained though?
they take a day course, or maybe a 3 day course.
I don't see the big deal. They called you and advised you to take her to a chemist, and you did.

Literally my issue is that they couldn’t identify what hives were; I just feel worried that if a child with a severe allergy presented with hives they may shun them or not take it as seriously as they should iykwim?

OP posts:
FritataPatate · 09/04/2025 14:05

Also, the first aider suggested you get antihistamine. I think they behaved appropriately.

myplace · 09/04/2025 14:06

They can’t give antihistamine.
They can only call a parent.
That’s literally all they are allowed to do.

My hives are much more like insect bites- large red and white welts. That photo wouldn’t scream ‘hives’ to me.

Original poster
mommalaulau · 09/04/2025 14:06

FritataPatate · 09/04/2025 14:04

you’re being ridiculous. Does your child have an allergy? I don’t think you mention if they do? Hives could be something else - A first aider is not a doctor or a nurse!

Sorry yes I should have included that. She has an allergy to penicillin and is under investigation for PoTS aside from this she’s fine.

OP posts:
romdowa · 09/04/2025 14:07

I don't think you'd have to be medically trained to recognise hives

FritataPatate · 09/04/2025 14:08

mommalaulau · 09/04/2025 14:05

Literally my issue is that they couldn’t identify what hives were; I just feel worried that if a child with a severe allergy presented with hives they may shun them or not take it as seriously as they should iykwim?

Show quote history

If the child had a severe allergy presumably they would have an epipen which the 1st aider would know about. The advice to get some antihistamine would still be appropriate.

MajorCarolDanvers · 09/04/2025 14:08

Like others have said it’s a first aider not a medical professional.

they called you and ask you to
seek medical attention.

sounds appropriate

HenDoNot · 09/04/2025 14:09

I don’t understand what your issue is.

The first aider advised going to a pharmacy and getting some antihistamines. That’s exactly what you did.

That photo just looks like a spotty teenagers skin to me, it doesn’t immediately and obviously look like hives.

FabuIous · 09/04/2025 14:09

Are you conflating ‘something allergic’ with ‘hives’? They dont look like hives to me, it doesn’t look very dramatic, I don’t understand why you think ‘hives’ would be a big deal anyway. They recognised it was a minor allergic thing. It seems fine.

OhHellolittleone · 09/04/2025 14:10

myplace · 09/04/2025 14:06

They can’t give antihistamine.
They can only call a parent.
That’s literally all they are allowed to do.

My hives are much more like insect bites- large red and white welts. That photo wouldn’t scream ‘hives’ to me.

They can give antihistamine. At my school parents sign that school can give them.

Hoppinggreen · 09/04/2025 14:11

I don't think they did anything wrong at all. You were called, you were advised to get medical advice and you did
And what exactly does "a smug look as if to say “you’re not trained what do you know”. look like?

Sofiewoo · 09/04/2025 14:11

It really doesn’t look like obvious hives, and they did suggest they felt it was an allergic reaction of some sort hence the suggestion of antihistamines. I really don’t see what you’re taking issue with. A first aider has basic emergency training, they aren’t a GP. This isn’t an emergency allergic reaction.

Wellnowlookhere · 09/04/2025 14:11

I’m medically trained and I think you’re probably being OTT on this one. Would be different if your daughter presented to the first aider and was ignored, but appropriate action was taken.

Saveafun · 09/04/2025 14:11

I think they were saying it could be something worse than hives and wanted you to get her checked out.

Unless there is a known risk of anaphylaxis, you seem to have had a huge over reaction IMO.

If I knew DS had an allergic rash, I'd have sent him to school as usual.

Mamofboys5972 · 09/04/2025 14:13

myplace · 09/04/2025 14:06

They can’t give antihistamine.
They can only call a parent.
That’s literally all they are allowed to do.

My hives are much more like insect bites- large red and white welts. That photo wouldn’t scream ‘hives’ to me.

Yeah I thought the same, doesn't look like hives to me either. Mine are very red and white lumps/welts in odd shapes. Looks a lot like the hives in this photo, not me

Phone call from school; they’re ’not medically trained’ ?!
growinguptobreakingdown · 09/04/2025 14:13

The school response was completely appropriate .They asked you to pick your child up and get antihistamines.They can't diagnose and it would be inappropriate for them to do so.
They are a first aider not a GP.
If a child had a severe allergy they would know and use the autoinjector as prescribed/ call an ambulance IF they were presenting with Anaphylaxis and were prescribed one. Anaphylaxis would present as more than a rash.
This was not the case for your child so I'm not sure what else you wanted them to do.

CatsWhiskerz · 09/04/2025 14:13

It was a rash that needed a professional to look at, if they'd have given her antihistamine and it had turned out to be sepsis then they'd have been in the shit! You as parent were called to assess and sort out

Gall10 · 09/04/2025 14:14

Who the heck would be a teacher…..you teachers deserve every second of the holidays you get….i wouldn’t do it for all the teachers in china.
I salute you guys!

Fridgetapas · 09/04/2025 14:14

I think they did everything correctly. I wouldn’t have had a problem with any of this. And they are right they aren’t medically trained!

Grimbeorn · 09/04/2025 14:14

Doesn't look anything like hives to me either. Presumably hives can present in different ways?
The school took her spots-that-don't-look-like-hives seriously though didn't they? So what makes you think they won't take another child seriously? Their reaction seems fine to me.

WearyAuldWumman · 09/04/2025 14:14

When I worked in a school, we had to keep explaining to parents and children that our first aiders weren't nurses - any further medical treatment had to be given by a professional.

We'd get children coming in on a Monday with an injury sustained at the weekend: "My mum says the school nurse has to fix my knee for me."

Original poster
mommalaulau · 09/04/2025 14:14

Thank you all for your replies; I know I may have overreacted as I probably went into overprotective mode for her!
I have got it signed on school record she can have pain medication and antihistamine as and when required from school stock, how her cheek is there is how her whole body went as a baby when she first had penicillin and was diagnosed with the allergy so I always mark it and don’t take chances.
I just needed to know others opinions as I’m literally on my own with no other mums to ask, so thank you all for your honest opinions it is super helpful ❤️

OP posts:
PivotPivotmakingmargaritas · 09/04/2025 14:14

They were wrong to said it wasn’t hives as either they are medically trained or not and if not don’t say no not hives!!!

But yes a first aid course is not medically trained so while they aren’t medically trained they shouldn’t have said no to hives

I would write an email but don’t go all guns blazing just so they know in future to say “I’m not sure but it seems to be spreading and I would recommend seeing a medical professional “ not hard to direct a parent that way

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